Go back to the 1970s with the Ela Area Public Library as they celebrate their 40th Anniversary with special events throughout the month of February.

Join museum curator and dramatist Ellie Carlson as she takes you on a lively trip down memory lane. The 1972 Historic Cooking program will introduce 1970 recipes, a tasting of fondue, hot Dr. Pepper served in a crockpot, no bake chocolate oatmeal cookies, and more.

Looking for a tasty fish fry and bake that the entire family can enjoy? Then stop by the Knights of Columbus Centre and Banquet Hall.

Enjoy an all-you-can eat wonderful fish meal with family, friends, and neighbors every Friday during Lent. Don’t worry, for those who prefer other meatless dishes the menu also includes cheese pizza, fries, mashed potatoes, salad, macaroni and cheese, coffee, and dessert.

Looking for a hearty yet healthy soup to have for lunch or dinner on a cold winters day? Need some meatless ideas for no meat Fridays during lent? Then consider making this low fat, high fiber Italian Lentil Soup.

This soup combines the flavors of lentils, tomato puree, shredded cabbage, hearty vegetables, and seasoning to make a tasty and filling meal.

At the Village of Wauconda’s booth, meet members of the Village Board as they help showcase information about Lake Michigan water, Electrical Supply Savings Programs, and much more! Also joining the event will be representatives of What's Up Wauconda, a new web-based community calendar sponsored by the United Partnership for a Better Community.

The event features the 6th annual American Legion Post 911 craft fair along with over 70 area businesses, municipal booths, clubs, and organizations.

On Saturday, don’t miss the demonstration by MAXX the Police Dog, passport registration assistance through the US Postal Service, musician Terry Spizzirri, and the Illinois Treasurer’s Cash and Dash program.

On Sunday, visit with Dave’s Traveling World of Reptiles, music by Jeff Trudell, caricatures, and the Wauconda Scholarship Bowling Team. Click here for more information!

Come to the Warren Newport Public Library this Sunday to meet with author Jennifer Chiaverini. Jennifer will discuss and sign copies of her latest novel “The Wedding Quilt”.

The Wedding Quilt celebrates one of America's most romantic and enduring traditions.

Sarah McClure arrived at Elm Creek Manor as a newlywed, never suspecting that her quilting lessons with Master Quilter Sylvia Bergstrom Compson would inspire the successful and enduring business Elm Creek Quilts, whose members have nurtured a circle of friendship spanning generations. As the wedding day of Sarah's daughter, Caroline, approaches, Sarah's thoughts are filled with brides of Elm Creek Manor past and present—the traditions they honored, the legacies they bequeathed, the wedding quilts that contain their stories in every stitch.

Warning! If you love the taste of cookie dough, M&Ms, peanut butter, and chocolate than you need to get out a pen and paper now to start your shopping list for these delicious dessert dip.

Aptly titled “Monster Cookie Dough Dip” this dessert dip is reminiscent of cookie dough eaten straight from the bowl. This recipe makes a ton, so you have enough for one dip ball to take to a party and another to nibble on at home.

It is best served with graham crackers, but I am sure it is just as tasty with Salerno butter cookies, flat pretzels, or cinnamon flavored pita chips.

A hush puppy or cornbread ball is a savory, starch-based food made from cornmeal batter that is deep fried or baked in small ball or sphere shapes, or occasionally oblong or ring shapes.

The name "hush puppies" is often attributed to hunters, fishermen or other cooks who would fry some basic cornmeal mixture (possibly that they had been bread-coating or battering their own food with) and feed it to their dogs to "hush the puppies" during cook-outs or fish-fries.

Typical hush puppy ingredients include cornmeal, wheat flour, eggs, salt, baking soda, milk or buttermilk, and water, and may include onion, garlic, whole kernel corn, and peppers. The batter is mixed well, adjusting ingredients until thick, and dropped a spoonful at a time into hot oil. The small breads are fried until crispy golden brown, and cooled. Hush puppies are traditionally served with seafood including fried shrimp and catfish or Southern barbecued foods.

As part of Ela Area Public Library’s 40th Anniversary celebration, the month of February is full of 1970 related special programs.

Don’t miss out on the Art of the 1970s. Jeff Mishur will present a slide lecture exploring Pop Art, Op Art, Earthworks, and Feminism as well as a variety of responses to the abstract art of the 1950s and 1960s.

The Lenten season has begun and that means no meat (only fish) on Ash Wednesday and the next few Fridays from now until Easter Sunday. Instead of the usual frozen fish sticks or fish sandwiches from the drive thru window of a fast food joint, consider making these tasty Maryland Crab Cakes.

Crab cakes are a regional favorite in coastal areas across the U.S., especially in Chesapeake Bay, Maryland, where blue crabs are plentiful. Recipes for how to make crab cakes vary a bit by region, with some versions using significantly more bread crumbs or "fillers" than others. But they all have one thing in common: fresh and delicious crab meat.

If you happen to live near the coast, you obviously will have greater access to fresh crab meat. But living in the Midwest, you will find lump crabmeat is available in the seafood sections of most supermarkets across the country.

This recipe for classic Maryland crab cakes is true to the region, with ingredients such as Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, fresh parsley and, of course, Old Bay seasoning--a signature spice blend of the Chesapeake area that brings out the natural flavor of seafood. Crab cakes can be served as an appetizer or main dish; or put them on buns for crab-cake sandwiches.

Is your handmade card stash running low? Are you looking for new card making ideas? Then CraftFancy’s Card Creations class is just what you are looking for.

Join creative designer Melissa as she teaches different card making techniques, from stamping, embossing, creative punching, sewing cardstock, and more! This class is perfect for you if you want to learn how to create fun and whimsical cards out of your leftover scrapbooking material.

This month’s theme is "Hello Friend" and you'll be creating five different cards using a few different patterns of paper and stamps.

Paul Prudhomme and his restaurant K-Paul's have been the driving force behind the national popularity of Cajun food for almost 30 years. This recipe for “The Best Darned Grilled Chicken Ever” blends different spices to give the chicken a surprising and unique flavor.

If you don't have a grill, you can broil the marinated chicken pieces until a nice brown crust forms, then bake at 300º until cooked through.

Warm up cool evenings with a delicious stew that's just as good on its own or ladled over rice.

This tasty Creole Shrimp and Sausage Stew is perfect for Fat Tuesday, is simple to make, and uses easy to find ingredients from the grocery store. Tastes great with rice, inside a bread bowl, or served with crusty bread and hot sauce.

About the Creativity Bugs

The Creativity Bugs are avid crafters who got into crafting at a very early age. The love of crafting was inherited from their mom, who loving taught Sue and sister Sandy how to make something special out of next to nothing.

Creativity Bug Sue is a crafty crafter whose first crafting projects include potholders made with string loops, doll furniture made from recycled cereal boxes and plastic containers, and vases made from old bottles covered with masking tape and inks. Not surprising her first Brownie badge earned was for arts & crafts.

Creativity Bug Sandy is a crafter, artist, and seamstress. Art classes in high school broaden her horizons, gave her a flare for color and design, and a desire to turn trash into treasures. No one has a better knack at finding diamonds in the rough at garage sales & thrift stores and turning them into unique gifts than Sandy.

This blog was created to show case some of Sue and Sandy's favorite things; scrapbooking, card making, paper crafting, cooking/baking, sewing, reading, how to's, and creating treasures out of found things.